Description:

Laughlin AFBs largest waste stream in 1995 was chromic acid. The acid was generated from a process that utilizes alodine (chromic acid, hydrofluoric acid, and potassium ferricyanide) to prepare aluminum surfaces for priming and then painting.

P2 Application:

Laughlin purchased an alodine evaporation system to concentrate the chromic acid waste stream. Instead of disposing of the entire mixture as a hazardous waste, Laughlin is evaporating the water out and reducing amount of alodine for disposal.

Environmental Benefits:

Laughlin AFB generated 57 55-gallon drums of alodine prior to this project. This project has reduced the amount to two drums of waste for disposal.

Details of Reductions

Additional Information :

Initial capital cost of the project was $54,000 with a payback period of 1 year. Laughlin AFB realized a disposal cost savings of $41,330. This amount stems from reducing the total weight of 25,228 lbs generated to only 916 lbs of that being disposed of. That is a reduction of 24,312 lbs at $1.70/lb.